State police have arrested the former assistant athletic coach at Somers High School and said he is accused of inappropriate contact with a female student.
State police arrested 27-year-old Justin Perez, of Springfield, Massachusetts, on Tuesday.
They said he was found when Enfield police made a traffic stop and he was turned over to state police.
The investigation into Perez started in October.
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State police said he formerly served as an assistant athletic coach at Somers High School and the incident came to light when a female student disclosed inappropriate contact with Perez.
He is accused of having inappropriate phone or social media contact with the victim, inappropriate contact during practice sessions and other unwanted sexual advances.
According to the arrest warrant, Perez is accused of “grinding his body” into the student and sending her inappropriate comments and pictures by text and through Snapchat.
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He also tried to convince her to get a room with him during an overnight trip to a tournament, the warrant says.
When Perez spoke with police, he denied sending or receiving inappropriate messages or making sexual advances, according to the arrest warrant.
During the investigation, police searched his phone and found internet searches that included: sending nudes to a minor Connecticut, age of consent Connecticut, can you get in trouble for texting a 16-year-old girl CT, how to pass a polygraph test and more, according to the arrest warrant.
Perez was charged with fourth-degree sexual assault, criminal attempted second-degree sexual assault, risk of injury to a minor, criminal attempted risk of injury to a minor and enticing a minor under 18 by computer.
Perez is also a police officer in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Springfield's police superintendent suspended Perez for five days on Tuesday after Perez's arrest. The Board of Police Commissioners handles all disciplinary matters longer than a five-day suspension, according to Springfield police. The board has been notified of Perez's arrest, police said.
Police in Springfield have been in contact with investigators in Connecticut since the allegations first came to light in October, they said. Perez was assigned to administrative duties without a firearm since Springfield police first learned about the accusations.
Connecticut State Police said they aren't aware of any additional incidents relevant to the investigation.
Perez was released on $100,000 bond and ordered to have no contact with the victim or her family.
